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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24459589">want 'em all to hear me call you baby</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/profound_garden/pseuds/profound_garden'>profound_garden</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Women's Soccer RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arsenal FC, F/F, Implied Sexual Content, Secret Relationship, arsenal wfc - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:41:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,531</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24459589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/profound_garden/pseuds/profound_garden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jordan sighed. “I said, I wanna go somewhere. Just you and me.”</p><p>Leah blinked. “What, like now?”</p><p>“I mean it, Lee. I’m tired. I want to get away. Somewhere no one knows us.”</p><p>or,</p><p>Jordan gets tired of hiding their relationship, so they take a brief escape.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Leah Williamson/Jordan Nobbs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>want 'em all to hear me call you baby</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title from "no one knows us" by banners, which is not necessarily a great song but it did inspire me to write this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was after a game when Jordan first realized it. Well, she’d always </span>
  <em>
    <span>known</span>
  </em>
  <span> — she just wasn’t able to ignore it anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I don’t think we should tell anyone yet. I’m not ashamed Jords, I just…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“‘Course, Leah. I understand. I don’t mind.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the more time that went on keeping their new relationship status a secret, the more Jordan was starting to regret agreeing so quickly. Well, she never could say no to Leah. But maybe they could’ve at least discussed this more. Now, she was stuck watching Leah patiently nodding at some junior reporter whose questions were starting to stray from a professional review of the game.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s great how much the support has been growing for the women’s game, isn’t it?” Before Leah had a chance to answer, he continued, “Did you have any personal supporters in the stands tonight? Family, friends, boyfriend?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan flinched. Leah was visibly annoyed, but kept her mask of professionalism. “Yeah, it’s great how much the game is growing. Of course we hope that the stands are full every match, because the more visibility we have the more influence and hopefully inspiration we can provide to young girls watching us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right,” the reporter nodded. “But as for yourself, anyone special you’re playing for?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m lucky enough to have a great support system,” she demurred.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So no boyfriend?” Jordan imagined herself punching the guy in the throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” Leah smiled tightly. “Is that all?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, sure,” he said, switching off his camera. “So, if you’re single then-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got to go,” Leah cut him off, and the panic in her eyes would be funny if Jordan wasn’t so upset herself. The two of them drove home in peace, neither of them mentioning the interview in favor of discussing the game. But as much as Jordan loved talking football, she found herself unable to really focus.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What would Leah say next time, if she was trapped in an interview? Of course Jordan didn’t want her to be forcibly outed, but the thought of her blatantly denying their relationship hurt more than she’d thought it would. Leah’s career was taking off, with shoots at Vogue and Nike already becoming standard, and she had fans across the world on social media. Of course they would want to know about her personal life — that was part of being a star, no matter how much Leah hated it. But that same growing career was the same reason they couldn’t be public. The stakes were lower for Jordan, who was already established in her roles at club and country, and anyway wasn’t in the public eye as much. Leah, however, had not only her image as the perfect cover girl for women’s football at risk, but also crucial sponsorships and endorsement deals. The thought of it all made Jordan sick.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they finally got back to their flat, and were safely inside, away from any possible cameras, Jordan pressed Leah against the door and kissed her, hard. Leah responded instantly, moaning against Jordan’s lips and pushing back, but Jordan kept her pinned firmly as she tried to release all of her frustration from earlier. It was different from their usual moments, absent of tenderness, and instead crackling with something hot and fierce.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When she finally pulled away, Leah stared back at her, hair in a mess and swollen lips in a confused ‘o’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But before Jordan could say anything, like </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m sorry, I just got possessive</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or </span>
  <em>
    <span>That stupid fucking interviewer got on my nerves</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or </span>
  <em>
    <span>I want everyone to know you’re mine</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Leah captured her lips again and the two tumbled into the bedroom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Later, as the two of them lay quietly panting in the sheets, Leah rolled over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jord,” she murmured softly, as if not to scare her. “Not that it wasn’t enjoyable, but where did </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> come from?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan sighed, unable to meet Leah’s eyes, and instead leaned into her, pressing her face into her chest. All her fire from just moments before was gone, and instead of pressing Leah against the door she was now essentially curling into her. She mumbled something unintelligible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, what was that? My ears are up here, you know,” Leah rubbed Jordan’s back encouragingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan sighed. “I said, I wanna go somewhere. Just you and me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leah blinked. “What, like now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan shrugged. “I mean it, Lee. I’m tired. I want to get away. Somewhere no one knows us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a long pause, and Jordan had to look up just to check if Leah hadn’t fallen asleep — very much a possibility, she knew from experience, after one of their more vigorous rounds. But she found Leah looking right back at her with an unreadable, yet startlingly clear, look in her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Leah said finally. And that was that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>//</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next day, they started planning. Leah found a rare 3-day gap on the calendar between training and matches, and Jordan decided on New Forest as their destination — she had visited the national park as a child and found the scenery incredibly peaceful. And the many forest trails, she hoped, would help them avoid running into anyone who recognized them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon, the two found themselves two hours south, on a brisk yet scenic hike with almost no other people on the trail. At the top, they found a lookout point tucked away at a bend in the trail. For a long time, they just stood there, looking out at the dusk blue sky fading into the glowing pink horizon above the forest treeline, above the wildflower-dotted fields. Boldy, Jordan grabbed Leah’s hand, and despite initially startling, Leah seemed to realize what she was thinking — there was no one around to see them — and didn’t let go. After a while, though, she sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jordan,” Leah murmured. “What’s all this really about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan let out a slow exhale. She should have known Leah was going to call her out eventually. Looking out across the rolling tree-covered hills, she knew she had nowhere to hide anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was just tired,” she admitted finally. “The cameras, the questions... I didn’t want to hide anymore. Just for a bit. I’m sorry, Leah, I know why we have to, and I’m willing to do it, you know I am. I just got…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tired,” Leah finished for her, and to her relief she didn’t look angry at all. “I understand, Jord. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it was weighing on you so much. Next time, though, we can talk about it before you shag my brains out and drag me out into the wilderness in the middle of the season, yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan smiled. “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them looked out at the view again. Before them, the rolling English countryside was covered with a layer of rising mist. Next to each other, with only the sounds of birds and wind around them, it was just the two of them against the world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Leah breathed. “I did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>//</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they got back, it was as if nothing had changed — but now, Jordan was more okay with that, knowing that she could always go to Leah if she needed another escape. At training, the two of them were as normal as ever, with Leah never missing an opportunity to take the mick out of Jordan, who pretended unconvincingly to be annoyed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seriously, the two of you should just date already,” Jill pointed out after one such episode, involving yet another one of Leah’s jabs at Jordan’s height that had left the small midfielder chasing the laughing blonde defender across the training pitch. “You need to get out all that tension! How do the two of you manage to live together without killing each other?” That only made Leah laugh harder, and even Jordan let out a small quirk of her lips. If only Jill knew.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, alright,” Joe settled the team as he walked over. “Let’s focus, ladies, the Cup final is only a few days away. Now for this next drill....”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before they knew it, the Arsenal team was lacing up for their faceoff against Chelsea. It was a tough match, with plenty of chances from each side as well as a fair share of skills and fouls. After 90 minutes, at 1-1, five minutes of stoppage time was added — and then, in the 92nd minute, Viv slotted it in at the back post to win it for Arsenal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan was thrilled, of course. Winning Cup finals never got old. But she knew it would mean everything to Leah, who had wanted this win since she was an Arsenal academy player. In the midst of the cheering, jumping huddle, she turned to find her girlfriend — and was met with a pair of lips suddenly on hers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leah kissed her, right there in the middle of the stadium, in front of everyone, amid a few whistles and renewed cheers from their teammates. When she finally pulled back, they both had tears in their eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to hide anymore, either,” Leah said. “I’m not ashamed of who I am. And I’m not ashamed of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jordan grinned back at her. “Neither am I.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>bonus to you if you know which game i rewrote in arsenal's favor for that "FA Cup final." this didn't end up exactly going the way i thought it would but i lose motivation quick. maybe i'll come back to this idea again — i think the "vacation" idea could probably be evolved more, and the whole secret relationship resolution could be done more justice. let me know what you think, drop a kudos, comment, prompt, whatever. i'd be happy to hear what you're looking to read. and even happier to read something you write so i dont have to do this shit anymore lol</p></blockquote></div></div>
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